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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Who Is Your Editor?

There are many kinds of editors, and all of them are part of your writing team. One of the most important is an author's editor at the publishing house. Some authors and editors, like Mary Higgins Clark and Michael Korda, have been a team for decades. Those relationships are almost like family.

Do you have an editor you've worked with for a long time? Share your story with us. What makes them special? How did you meet? How does this editor help you craft the best book you can write? If we get enough responses, we may have a special month that's all about special editors. Please leave us a comment.

5 comments
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For my first two books with Five Star, One Small Victory and Open Season, I worked with the same editor. Unfortunately, she is no longer with them, so I will be working with a new one on the next book in the mystery series. I also worked with the same editor on many of my nonfiction books, and I think it helps to be a team that always works together. That allows for a deeper understanding of the work, the author's voice, and the editor's strengths.

I have to give a shout out to the woman who edited both of my books: Carol Atkins ... a remarkable lady of letters and achievement who was both a critic and cheerleader in helping me get Headwind and Northern Cross ready for prime time.

This isn't exactly the same thing but I feel it deserves mention. Elizabeth Hull, an editor from Canada whom I've never actually met in person, took me under her wing so to speak when I was first getting started.

The fact that she believed in me enough to take so much of her time to mentor me without compensation, instilled in me both a sense of humility and a confidence I wouldn't have otherwise. I owe more than I can probably ever repay to her kind advice and support and I will forever be grateful.